The Founders
by lost-inside-hogwarts
Summary: A story about how the Hogwarts founders met, and created the school we all know and love: Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

In the small West village of England, deep in the wild moors, there lived a boy called Godric Gryffindor. He was a rather gifted and courageous human with green eyes, wavy red hair, and peach-like skin. Though he was small in stature, his heart was equal to giants.

Now, there was nothing about him that would suggest he was anything but normal, but he wasn't exactly as you would call ordinary. The reason being: Godric was a wizard – born with the powers to conjure flames, levitate objects, and even transfigure them into certain things. Having such power at the tender age of eleven, frightened him. If the other villagers knew of his magic, he would be beheaded for wizardry. Five years passed, and the more lonely life became for Godric. It was hard to be more powerful than anyone he knew, and have to live like a shadow among them.

As Godric hid inside his cottage, he often dreamed of a place where he did not have to hide his magic, or if there were others like him. A place of solitude where he could practice his magic and not have to hide; a place where his magic would be appreciated and respected, rather than looked down on.

The first thing Godric noticed when he woke up one morning was the melodies of birds echoing through the sky around him. He got out of bed and opened the window to see the sunlight hitting the crowns of trees; the golden edges reflecting with brilliant clarity. It was a peaceful morning as the young wizard inhaled the fresh air and stretched his arms toward the sky, letting out a small grunt. Godric left the window, got dressed in his hunting outfit, and reached for the sword hanging above his bed. He grabbed the weapon, put it in his sheath, then strutted out of his cottage; happily trudging his way through the thick wood of the moors, humming his favourite melody.

"_Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble,_" he sang merrily, as he made his way on a dirt path through the woods. The quietness of the forest filled Godric with feelings of warmth and serenity. Most people didn't like the woods because they deemed it as scary and dark, but Godric was not afraid. There's beauty in almost everything, you just have to find it.

Perched upon a rock there stood a large coney nibbling on the fallen leaves from trees. Godric crept through the bushes trying to get as close as humanely possible, and pulled out his sword. At first he hesitated, then looked around cautiously. No one was around. Deeming it safe, the wizard put his sword back, and extended his hand. With a swift notion, a green light flashed, and the coney lay lifeless on the ground. Godric skipped over to it, swung the animal over his shoulder, and went back home.

Killing animals was not something Godric liked to do, but it was the only way for him to eat. Living on his own, the first thing he had to do was fend for himself. Over the years he taught himself how to live in the muggle world, and hunt without the use of magic. Not that he had much of a choice, because his father and mother died long ago. It was either that, or die along with them. Godric knew a life was a terrible thing to waste, so he fought for his right to survive.

It was late in the evening, and the stars twinkled brightly under the pale moonlight. The air was cool and blew the trees in a rhythmic wave. Godric was laying in his bed, his head rested against a lovely feathered pillow daydreaming about a world of magic. Slowly he lifted his finger and began drawing in mid-air silver lines of fire in shape of a lion. It began to move ever so slightly, and Godric smiled happily to himself.

Without warning, came a great boom in the distance. Jerking out of bed, Godric ran to his window and saw sparks in the sky, and a line of smoke rising upward. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. _What could that possibly be?_ He wondered. Having never seen such wonderful colours light up the darkness before, Godric thought it could have been magic.

"Magic," he whispered in awe, leaning against the window sill. "I wish I knew what is causing such magnificence. I could join them and I would not have to be lonely. We could do magic together, and learn new spells. . .oh, the possibilities!"

It was then an idea struck Godric Gryffindor. He would follow the strange light and meet whomever conjured the sparks. After putting on his red cloak, and packing his sword, the young wizard ran out of his cottage and never looked back. With courage on his shoulders, and hope in his heart, Godric ran through the rigged hills of the moors, and passed a trickling stream.

Through the misty night he walked, climbing cliffs and slopes. For a mile he walked south before stopping to camp. Thinking about nothing but the strange sparks in the sky, Godric found it hard to sleep. The wet grass tickled his face and the pollen floating around before him made his nose tingle. Before long, Godric's eyes became heavy with thought, and fell asleep to the silence of the night.

Morning dawned, and swiftly now, Godric pursued his quest. At last he reached the brink of a Fen – a wet grassland filled with bogs and marshes. A slight groan came from the young wizards mouth as he made his way slowly down.

"Bogs, bogs, and more bogs!" growled Godric, struggling down the hill. "No good comes of them, dare I say! Too wet and dangerous, but I must press on if I am to find the maker of the strangeness in the sky."

A stench filled Godric's nose once he reached the bottom of the hill. Covering his nose with the hood of his cloak, the wizard noticed something strange in the distant fog. He halted and squinted his eyes, but he could not make out the faint blue light that glowed in the air. Deciding to ignore the ominous wisps of light, Godric continued on through the vast land that befell him. For a short while he hummed a tune, but the walk seemed to go on forever, and his feet begun to hurt. The deeper he was into the fen, the more the fog rose. "Be brave Godric," he spoke to himself. "You will get through this. Tis' just a little fog, what is the worst that could happen."

Half a day of venturing through the fen and Godric noticed a light from a lantern. A sigh of relief was all the young wizard could muster through his dry mouth. "At last! Civilization!" he spoke to himself in a soft tone.

Following the light of the lantern, little did Godric Gryffindor know that it would be the last thing he'd ever see. Once in the clearing, he tripped and fell into a thick bog. Everything happened so fast, and so suddenly, he could not process what was going on. Trying with all his might to fight the current beneath him, it was unsuccessful. The weight of mud and water crushed his chest, making it harder to breathe. Godric tried to use magic but with all that was happening around him, he couldn't concentrate hard enough to conjure one. No help came from magic that day.

Then a ray of hope shined down upon him. Godric felt lighter, like he was being pulled up.

And he was.

The strange man grabbed hold of the wizards cloak and set him safely aside on flat land. Godric coughed and gagged for the longest time before he looked upon his rescuer. He was a tall, slender young man with a monkey-like appearance. His skin was light with grey hair and pale grey eyes. Godric had never seen anyone quite like him before. "Thank you," chocked Godric.

"You ought to be careful," began the stranger, "you were lured into a bog by a Hinkypunk. Awful creatures if you must know. One-legged creatures who hang around these parts of the world – they carry a lantern to put travellers off their path."

Godric Gryffindor looked up at the dark stranger in confusion. "Why are you in these parts then if it is so dangerous?" the question slipping through his lips so suddenly.

"I live here in the Fen," said the stranger with pride. "Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Salazar. Salazar Slytherin."

The wizard stood up and shook Salazar's hand. "My name is Godric Gryffindor, since we are on the subject of names. It seems I owe you my life."

"Poppycock!" laughed Salazar. "Come, my new friend! I shall bring you back to my home and get you some new clothes!"

"You live in the bog? Don't you have family?" wondered Godric.

"Aye, but they are deceased now, may they rest in peace," replied Salazar. "Died the same way you would have if I had not rescued you. Enough talk, it is a bit away, and if we are to make it there safely we must be on full alert."

"Understood."


	2. Chapter 2

Salazar brought Godric to his home deep within the fen, where lay a lonely tree with a home built into it. They moved forward and walked inside.

It was old and worn down, and spiders crawled everywhere. To the left was a lovely lit fireplace built into the bark of the tree, and two wooden chairs on both sides. Loose papers and maps were spread everywhere, and in the dark corner was a small bed. Godric was impressed, and it became more clear to him that Salazar was no ordinary person. No muggle he knew of would live inside a tree near a dangerous bog. There was something about this young man that felt different – good or bad the wizard still was unsure.

"Why don't you come along and sit by the fire? You may even help yourself to some cheese and bread if you wish," Salazar said, pointing to the chairs closest to the fireplace.

Godric sat down and ate; a silence among them that only the crackling fire could break. Before long, Salazar sat down on the opposite side of the hearth, and rested his hands on his knees. Godric shifted in his seat a bit, then cleared his throat. "The cheese is wonderful, I thank you for opening your home to me. Though it dark and gloomy, I feel a sense of comfort around me."

"No need to thank me, sir," said Salazar. "I am ever so glad you like it. Took me many years to design and build it, but I plan to get away soon and venture through the lands of good ol' England. I intend to find a place of peace and quiet where I can finish my work."

Godric cocked his head to the side. "What sort of work if you do not mind my asking?"

Salazar snickered a little. "That is unimportant. Tell me, what is a young man such as yourself doing in these parts? Whereabouts are you headed?"

"I'm not that young, I'm only sixteen years of age," laughed Godric.

Salazar raised an eyebrow. He seemed unamused. "Such a long way to travel for someone who is barely old enough. It seems we have more in common then I would have thought. I, too, am also sixteen and wish to escape the awfulness of the world."

"I was not escaping," said Godric. "I was searching for the strange lights in the sky. I needed to see for myself if it was magic. I had never seen anything like it before, it was the only explanation."

"You saw the sparks?" wondered Salazar, stroking his chin, glaring for the longest time at Godric in suspicion. An uncomfortable silence fell among them and Godric began looking around the room to avoid Salazar's cold stare.

"Curious. . . very curious," whispered Salazar. "Perhaps I could accompany you and find the man who made the magic in the sky. The roads ahead are dangerous, as you well know, and it would be better to have someone who is skilled in many things by your side."

Godric was taken aback. "Do not feel the need to come with me if you do not wish, friend. I am taken by much surprise by this invite, and I only wonder if that is what you desire."

"As I have said before, I wish to escape this retched place. What better way to start then venture through England with you in search of a mysterious magic," explained Salazar.

"I suppose it would be nice to have company," said Godric. "_The more the merrier_, as I always say."

"Good – it is settled. We shall leave at first light tomorrow! As you are my guest you may take my bed. I shall sleep under the stars tonight."

The evening was closing in, and as Salazar Slytherin turned his back and left his home, a sly smile spread across his face. Godric did not see him again for the rest of the night.


	3. Chapter 3

To tell the truth, Godric was reluctant to leave with Salazar. As good as he was to him, there was something about the strange man that was off-putting; as if he were hiding some sort of secret. Godric would love nothing more than to go it alone, but he figured he may be in need of Salazar soon enough.

After a hearty breakfast, Salazar and Godric made last arrangements, then headed out of the fen. Instinctively, Salazar turned and stared at his home; mist wondering aimlessly in front of it. With that one last glance he knew it would be the last time he ever looked upon it, and headed off silently with Godric, not knowing a great adventure lay before him.

"At last we are off!" said Salazar eagerly, shouldering his pack. "You do not know how much I have longed for this moment. Though I will miss my home, indeed, I know there is something greater out my door." Turning to Godric he smiled and bumped his shoulder lightly. All Godric did was nod.

At the end of the fen Salazar and Godric continued south, following a narrow path of rocks and dirt. The sky above them was light blue, and the cold wind touched their faces softly as the earth around them smelled like mold and wet mud. Godric pulled up the hood from his cloak, but still keeping a wary eye of his surroundings. Salazar Slytherin, on the other hand, did not mind being seen. He was too busy admiring the world around him, and touching every plant he saw, to even care about the cold.

When the light of the sun disappeared behind the broad hills, Godric made a small camp in a hollow tree. In the dark of the night, fireflies danced in the thick, humid air. Salazar was already dozed off, but Godric remained wide awake. As he gazed at the stars he smiled gladly to himself. Once again he started to dream about the magic in the sky, finding them, and sharing all he knew with them. The thought of having someone accept you for who you are, made Godric very happy.

After half hour of feeling too excited to sleep, Godric closed his eyes and fell asleep with a smile on his dirt-smeared face.

The morning came, cold and grey. Salazar was first to wake and stretched his arms. After a long yawn, he took his pack and reached for a map. Tracing his finger along the paper he finally decided on which way they needed to go.

"Oi! Godric, wake up!" he said, throwing a tiny pebble near the young wizard.

He woke, his eyes still groggy from sleep. "What is it Salazar? Must we leave now? Can't I sleep for a few more hours? All this walking is very tiresome."

"But it is a beautiful morning, Godric! Look!" smiled Salazar.

Godric looked up and saw nothing but damp greyness. He raised his brow then said, "what is beautiful about it?"

"Never mind that," said Salazar, "we must be getting off at once. If what you say is true about what you saw being magic, then I have come to the conclusion where we must go."

"Which is where?" asked Godric, packing up his belongings now.

"The mountains of Aonach Mòr, and beyond," said Slytherin. "If anyone is magical then they would be hiding in there, but we also must be wary, for there are many dangerous dwelling inside."

"I am ready, let us press on," replied Godric.

Godric and Salazar moved slowly across he land. The path to Aonach Mòr drew closer with each step. Godric had never been to the mountains before, so he was fairly lucky to have Salazar as a guide. Coming out of the forest, they found themselves looking upon open land with mountains in the distance. Godric felt encouraged. "We're almost there," he whispered gladly to himself.

"Yes we are," smiled Salazar, hearing every word his friend said. "But do not get your hopes up. Getting there is the easy part – it's getting through the mountains without being eaten or killed that we need to worry about."

"I am not afraid," retorted Godric.

"Ah, bold Gryffindor from wild moor," laughed Salazar. "Your daring nerve sets you apart from many others, my good friend."

Godric forced a smile.

Through the rugged cracks of the mountain and rocky hills the pair walked; watching every step they took. Godric wondered what time it was. Somewhere between the magic in the sky, and meeting Salazar, the young wizard lost count. The world seemed to have all been forgotten and time did not exist for him.

A few minutes of sauntering, Salazar found a cliff and stood on the brink of it. He looked around searching for any sign of strange creatures. The mountains seemed vacant. Godric stood behind him with his arms crossed. "Do you see anything?" he called out.

"No," replied Salazar turning back to his friend, his voice sounding unsure.

"Surely that is a good thing, why do you look so worried?"

"Because it is too quiet. I do not like the sound of sheer silence; it does not seem right. We have to press on hastily, but carefully," explained Salazar already walking ahead.

The mountains of Aonach Mòr stretched on for many leagues, but Salazar and Godric did not encounter any sudden threats. Still, they marched on. More than one human could have gotten lost within those rugged cracks.

A couple cliffs later, and the two young boys reached a glen. It was green and lovely, and the water running through it trickled lightly. Trees of enormous size sat elegantly with beauty and grace, which brought a certain warmth to Godric's blood. Fireflies flew all around, and specks of dust floated to and fro. Godric pressed forward onto a stone path leading further into the glen. He halted in front of a small stream; lily pads gliding on top as crickets sung their songs.

"Such a beautiful place," smiled Godric. "Do you think we are closing in on the one whom might be magic?"

Salazar shrugged.

Just then, a woman's voice came through the trees. Godric and Salazar's eyes met, then quickly ran toward the sound.


End file.
